Take A Peek At These Health Department Guidelines
When is your child too sick to attend school? The following guidelines, along with the advice of your family doctor, will help you decide when your child should stay home:
• Cold and/or cough – a child with deep mucus that causes a cough and heavy nose drainage cannot function at school.
• Fever – fever is a warning that something is wrong. A child should remain at home for 24 hours after the fever is gone without the use of medication.
• Rash – a rash, spots or blotches on the skin can be the first sign of many illnesses. Rashes require a physician’s release stating they are not contagious.
• Stomachache/Upset – a child who is vomiting or has diarrhea should be kept at home and may return 24 hours after the symptoms are gone.
• Head Lice – a child with head lice must remain at home until treatment is complete and school officials confirm he or she is free of lice. Check your child’s head before school begins in the fall and routinely during the school year or if he or she complains of an itchy scalp. Look around your child’s ears and back of the neck for nits, which are tiny, 8 white, oval-shaped lice eggs that are attached to the hair near the scalp. Nits may look like dandruff or scalp flakes, but nits do not move and are difficult to dislodge. Notify the school office immediately if your child has head lice. Begin treatment immediately by contacting your doctor or purchasing over the counter medication from the drug store. To prevent spreading head lice, wash all infested garments, hair accessories, bedding and other surfaces with hot water and disinfectant. You must sign your child in at the office when he or she is returning to school after treatment for head lice.
